The Bet
by inabie
Summary: Ever wondered why Sirius was chosen best man?


My first ever fanfiction! So bear with me, haha. But in all honestly this was quite fun to write, even if I HAVE already forgotten a good lot about Harry Potter. Let's all pretend, though, that the Marauders got the Marauder's Map in the seventh year. Just pretend. Yes.

It may seem a little long, but I'd rather have it that way for now. I could change it later on, hahaha.

Ye olde Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but if I did I would know exactly what to do with all that money.

* * *

_Our dearest Lily, _

_How are you? Missing you from home. Your Dad and I hope that everything is fine and you are getting along in Hogwarts. How is life as Head Girl? Not too bad we hope? _

_Back here, sad news. Aunt Doris—Great Aunt for you, has recently passed away. As you may have already known (or may not have known) Great Aunt Doris was also a witch. And, Lily, you are next in line for a family heirloom that Great Aunt Doris wishes for you to have. She said it is a special map, but we don't think that it is up to us to investigate. We have included it in the envelope as you are the rightful owner. Whatever it is use it wisely and guard it well. _

_Never forget your studies, and be good! And smile as well. Reply back and we will write again soon. Petunia says hi. _

_We love you always, _

_Mum and Dad. _

Lily read the letter over and over, and stared at it for a good long time, until she had finally absorbed all the information it contained. First of all, she had a Great Aunt Doris. Who was a witch. Who had a map. Who is dead. And now the map belongs to her. Sure enough, as Lily peeked into the envelope, there lay an old, browned piece of paper that could easily have been regarded as trash.

It was no ordinary map, as far as ordinary maps went, but for a magical map it wasn't so ordinary, either. Apparently Lily's parents had forgotten to mention that Great Aunt Doris has gone to Hogwarts. For it was indeed a map of Hogwarts, but what was so extraordinary about it was that it contained everyone. Professor Dumbledore. Professor Slughorn. Everyone was represented by a tiny dot with his name beside it. When the person moved, the dot followed. And thus Lily knew where everyone in the entire school was coming from or going to.

And at that moment, as Lily observed with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, Alice Longbottom's dot was approaching the Girls' Dormitories.

"Lily!" Alice's head of curly brown hair poked through the door, making Lily jump slightly and pocket the map. "Come on, Lily. The game's begun. What're you doing there, anyway?" But she did not wait for Lily to reply, because before Lily could answer she had already pulled her up and dragged her to the grounds outside.

The crowd was cheering wildly as the two seventh-year girls groped up the bleachers. Gryffindor had scored. Lily's ear hurt as Alice screamed at the top of her lungs. James Potter, in his usual detestable self, was soaring through the sky, the wind lapping against his black hair, and broad smile pasted upon his face. The snitch was a few meters away. Alice's voice grew louder.

But Lily couldn't care less. Honestly, she thought, flying through the air with rabid balls chasing after you cannot be called fun. For her, anyway. She brought out Great Aunt Doris' map and was not surprised to see that she could witness the Quidditch match from there.

"What've you got there, Evans?"

Lily gasped and unknowingly crumpled the map, as though by instinct. Sirius Black, one of the least possible people she wanted at the moment, was sitting right next to her, being mischievous. For Sirius Black was always mischievous, whatever he's happened to be doing. He smelled bad, too. Like a dog.

"Shouldn't you be out there, on the field, Black?" Lily said spitefully.

"Nah," Sirius Black said, lifting his leg for Lily to see. His ankle was bandaged. "Sprained my ankle this morning. Not allowed to join. As if I'd be using my ankle for flying, anyway. You know, you should be watching the game instead of studying or looking into pieces of paper. Awful good, James is."

"I'm not in the least interested," Lily said.

"In what, Quidditch, or Potter?"

Lily made no reply.

Sirius Black inched closer to her. "You know, Evans, for a Head Girl, it's not all polite to be snobbish."

"Go away, Black."

"Well!" Sirius shook his head. "D'you want to know something, Evans, d'you want to know? I think you'll like Potter, once you get to know him. In fact, Evans, I think you'll love him."

Lily glanced at him, hoping to muster all the hate she had and expressing them through her eyes. "Want to bet, Black?"

"Sure would! By next month, you'll love him. And if I win," Sirius paused.

"And if you win?"

"And if I win, you give me that old paper you've been hiding. You show it to me and you give it to me. Is that a bet? And if I lose and you don't fall in love with old James, then he and I and Peter and Remus will never break a single rule while afoot in Hogwarts ever again."

Hah! Lily wanted to laugh. Lily wanted to hit him. First of all, she knew that every drop of her blood loathed the very name of that dreadful James Potter. He was an arrogant fool who could have as many gullible girls as easily as he could vex Finch. He didn't care. He never did. All he did was to hurt, to break hearts. All he wanted was attention, and attention from her he would certainly not get.

Second of all, the "Marauders" was a silly little gang of boastful boys that Lily hated almost as much as she hated James Potter. They made life hard for the teachers, for themselves, for the school, and for her. They were addicted to chasing trouble wherever they saw it. As if, Lily thought, they could stop this addiction.

But nevertheless Sirius Black was waiting for an answer, and Lily knew he would not go away.

"So what d'you say, Evans, what d'you say? Is that a bet?"

Lily turned to him, and smiled nearly as wide as James Potter did as he soared through the air on his broomstick. "It sure is."

* * *

Slytherin had won, and Gryffindor would not have it.

"Cheats!" cried James. "Bloody cheats! Triants! Traitors! Trolls!"

"What's wrong, Potter?" one of the Slytherins sneered. "Can't accept defeat?"

All through dinner and the hours after, the talk surrounded on how Slytherin did this even if Gryffindor did that. Lily would not have it and continued to be intrigued by Great Aunt Doris' map. She had some studying to do anyway, but even if midnight dropped by there was still anger and sourness that Lily became very confused when she pulled her head up and the common room was suddenly empty.

Oh _no_, she thought to herself. Revenge. How classic. This would be another job for the Marauders and their little team. Lily got up, kept her books and stepped out the Common Room. Of course, she would have to be responsible for shushing them all down and cleaning up the mess. Lily was thinking all about this when, while wandering through the dark corridors she knew so well, she realized that she had brought the map along with her. Well, I might be able to use it, she thought.

"Evans! Is that you?" whispered a voice.

Lily looked around, seeing nothing. But as long as they saw her she wouldn't give them a chance of seeing the map.

"Over here, Lily!"

Lily turned to see about ten of her fellow Gryffindors all clumped behind a shadow of a huge statue of Salazar Slytherin. "What _are_ you doing?" she hissed angrily. "Come back to the Gryffindor tower _now_!"

But they would not have it. Before Lily could cry out or make any reaction, one of the dark Gryffindor figures had clasped his hand over her mouth and dragged her along the others. When Lily's eyes got used to the dark she turned and saw that it was none other than Remus Lupin.

"Foopin! Wet go fofomee ow!" But Lily was caged in a heavy grip. The Marauders were all in attendance, of course (she cringed at the sight of James Potter) but Alice was there as well, and some other figures that she couldn't make out in the dark.

"Listen, we're in the entrance to the Slytherin Tower," James Potter said. "And sorry Evans, we know you're not into all this stuff and everything, but you can't mess this up. If you make noise and wake up Filch, then it's detention for all of us, including you. Lupin, let her go."

Lily breathed freely as Remus' rough hand was removed from her mouth. "Thanks a lot," she said to him angrily.

Then Sirius brought out a bag. "You'll love this, Evans," he said sarcastically.

Stink bombs. "How original," Lily said.

They all crowded around Sirius and the bag as they slowly made their way into the entrance of the Slytherin tower, where there stood another enormous statue of a person Lily did not know. They hid behind this, and before long the painting that served entrance to the Slytherin tower swung open, and around seven figures walked out of it.

"These nasty Slytherins always come out at night for a little midnight snack," said James to Lily.

"Ready, mates?" Sirius said mischievously.

But Lily was not listening. She had brought out the map, and was trying her best to make out the dark words imprinted near the moving dots. Lily tried not to gasp. There was little clump of dots representing her and the Gryffindors, and little clump that showed the Slytherins, and a sole dot on the corridor leading to it. Lily strained her eyes. Filch.

"Potter!" she hissed, as quickly as it was audible. "Potter, Finch is coming."

"Filch?" James Potter said alarmedly. Lily was rather surprised that he believed her right away. "Sirius, stop! Stop the stink bombs!"

But it was too late. There was a scream and a yell, and all too soon everyone was running to and fro, to little nooks and crannies, apparating and disappearing. A horrible stench filled the air and made Lily's eyes water. Filch had arrived and was as confused as Lily. She was standing there, with the map, and it was she that Filch spotted as the culprit first.

"Who're ya? Who're all o' ya?" he growled, walking towards her. It was dark, and she knew that Filch didn't know who she was yet, but he would, eventually.

But Lily was rooted to the spot. What would happen to her now? Would she be fired from being prefect, head girl? And what about her grades? What would people think of her now? A troublemaker? Like James Potter? What would her parents say?

All too soon before Lily could run, another surprise came as something like a heavy blanket went over her head, and a firm hand clasped upon her arm.

"Don't speak," James' voice said quickly. He guided her away from Filch's direction.

"Potter! What are you doing!" Lily said, turning to him.

"You're in my invisibility cloak, now do be quiet," James said. "And try to squeeze in with me a little. We wouldn't want Filch to see the both of us." He stopped to take a look at Filch. All the Gryffindors had gone unexpectedly, and only the Slytherins were left holding their noses.

If James Potter was loony and they were visible, Filch would have easily seen them. But, as Lily looked through the darkness of cloak, she saw that Filch was looking around and attending to the Slytherins as if the both of them weren't there at all.

"We better go," said James. He still had his serious tone of voice.

"This is exactly what I wanted to prevent," Lily said in a hushed and annoyed tone. "I can't believe it would be you who would save and get me out of this trouble."

She heard him chuckle. "But isn't this nice?" he said. Lily could hear in his voice that James was smiling, even if she was in front. "You and me, together, in a cloak. Invisible. At night. It's quite romantic, actually. This could be like our first date or something, Evans."

"Gross," Lily said. Then, she realized that he still had his hand around her arm. As much as she so wanted his hand there, because she was still shaken by Filch and the whole affair, Lily took her hand away and walked briskly, making sure that no part of her was visible.

They reached the Common Room in due time, and as both of them rid themselves of the cloak Lily was quite taken aback at how cold it was when she was not invisible.

"Well," said James. "Aren't you going to kiss me goodnight?" He closed his eyes and leaned.

Lily permitted herself to laugh. "Goodnight, Potter. And—uhm, thanks for, you know. All the invisible stuff."

"Ah, invisibility? Don't thank me, it's my job," James wrapped the cloak around himself, and Lily's eyes widened at his floating head. "Goodnight to you as well."

Lily's heart was still thumping—because of that stupid adventure, she decided—as she lied down for bed. Potter. What an unpredictable little freak. Where'd he get that weird cloak anyway? Of all the people in Hogwarts, he would be the one she'd be forced to be stuck with at one am in the morning. But he seemed different, though. Not that boasting, sugar-induced James Potter that always ruffled his hair to make it look like he's been practicing, no. And, he had even ignored his best friends to save _her_, Lily noticed that. Lily bet that that was his true self. Stubborn, sore, and stupid.

Lily afterwards fell asleep at the realization that she had spent a whole hour thinking of nothing but James.

* * *

The following morning Lily was awoken by the sound of teenage girls giggling and shrieking and talking as if they had had too much pumpkin juice for breakfast.

"A dance! I'm so excited!"

"Oh, you have to help me pick out what to wear!"

"Well, I don't know who to ask!"

Lily sat up and pretended not to notice them. They didn't notice her, as well. But Lily did see something, a small, glittery paper lying on the floor under a plainer, white one. She picked the first one up, and it read:

_To All Gryffindors, _

_Due to several Slytherins complaining of not being able to smell freely, and an accusation that Gryffindors have been throwing stink bombs, a brief trial has been demanded of by one Slytherin parent. This will be held on Friday evening at the Great Hall. _

_Professor Dumbledore_

This will be interesting, Lily thought. Then, beneath that paper, read:

_To All Students, _

_In Celebration of the 800__th__ Anniversary of Hogwarts, A Midnight Ball will be held at the Great Hall on the 14__th__ of December. All students in all years are invited to join and are recommended to come in partners. Further details will be announced. _

_The Hogwarts Staff_

Lily knew that this meant only one thing.

"Hey, Lily Evans, will you be my partner for the Midnight Ball?"

"So, uhm—so, do you—you wanna b-b-be my—my—"

"So Lily Evans, about that Ball—"

Lily was completely drained by the mid-afternoon. Boys had been coming and going, asking her and stuttering, and all Lily could do was refuse them. She was not going to the ball. She did not like dancing in front of people. She did not like parties. And anyways, she was Head Girl. She had to supervise over the whole thing. That required no lovesick fourth year tagging along to you everywhere you went.

No amount of invitations from the other boys could match up to James' Potter, though. Lily opened her bag at breakfast and there was a fireworks display. James Potter, through the busy river of students going in all directions, screamed at the top of his lungs his declaration of going to the dance with Lily. James Potter, while riding his broomstick, followed her all through the grounds telling her why she should go with him. And James Potter, at two am in the morning, scared the pumpkin juice out of her when he took out his invisibility cloak suddenly to reveal his stupid floating head.

"You know I get scared because of that!" Lily said angrily.

"What would I do to get you to notice?"

* * *

Which is why, the following day, Lily cursed and cursed at the hand of fate when Professor Hooch told her that she would be partnered with James.

"You've got to learn how to ride a broomstick, Ms. Evans, you're nearly graduating. And who else is there to teach you?" she said.

Lily looked glumly at the battered old broomstick. "You better work with me," she told it. Then, mustering all her Head Girlishness, Lily said, "Up!"

The broomstick shook slightly.

There was a boyish chuckle from behind her. "Oh, Evans, who knew, who knew?" Potter said, gliding beside her.

"Teach me now, quickly," Lily said in monotone.

But that was easier said than done. First Potter tried teaching her while he rode on a separate broomstick. It didn't work. Lily fell and fell and fell again, and once the broomstick seemed to be having a seizure. But Lily was grateful that James didn't laugh. But he _did_ finally sit on the broomstick behind her.

"Don't worry, Evans, this won't hurt," James said, his voice near her ear.

They soared four feet into the air and Lily screamed.

"Don't shout like that! You'll upset the old broom, you know? Contain it. You won't fall," James said.

Slowly, they lifted up into the air, and moved at a horribly slow pace. As they soared higher (seven feet) she finally let James place his hands over hers. She was feeling slightly green. But James repeated again and again, You won't fall, you won't fall, I won't let you.

"Well, falling is my one fear right now," Lily muttered.

It was when Quidditch was over and the sun began to dip beneath the mountains that Lily began to feel comfortable. Still James heightened and still Lily grew scared, but she was somehow assured that she won't fall. He won't let her.

Soon they were flying, through the air and, to Lily, near the clouds. James never stopped speaking to her, and Lily soon conquered her fear.

"Over there, Potter, go there," she heard herself say happily, forgetting herself.

And then, when nobody was around anymore, when the stars lit up the sky, they were laughing and talking. James Potter had this wonderful talent of having an animated converstation. It seemed as if he had left his immature, boastful self down with the grass. Lily felt light-headed but safe. It was cold but it didn't matter. Lily had never felt so free, so ungrounded, in such a long time: there were no duties, no homework, no Finch among the clouds.

Then there were voices from the Great Hall.

"Back to reality," Lily heard James mutter. They glided down and were soon back on the grass.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" James said as he returned the broomstick.

Lily agreed. "I should do it more sometime."

James smirked. "You mean _we_ should do it more sometime."

"Oh, James, don't start with that," Lily was smiling, but it soon faded. She had called James by his first name. For the first time.

James didn't say anything to imply that he noticed, but knowing James, he probably did. "Well, anyways, we should go back. Something's up in the Great Hall. I don't want to miss it."

But it was James who stopped walking and turned to her a few seconds later. "Look, Lily," he said. "Uhm, about that—about the dance."

Lily was reminded of Sirius' bet. That sneaky Sirius Black had such good timing. But she couldn't give him Great Aunt Doris' map. It's an heirloom, for crying out loud. And anyway, what would Hogwarts say? Lily Evans going out with James Potter? Would she lose her friends? But Lily, who herself disbelieved what was actually going through the mind, knew in her heart that she wanted to say yes.

"So, will you come with me to the dance?" James concluded.

Lily sighed. "I'm sorry. No."

James sighed as well. "Okay."

They walked silently through the field together, a hundred things running through Lily's head, when she stopped and said, "Uhm, Potter, you go. I think I'll stay here and practice with the broom a little more."

"Oh," James sounded surprised. "You sure you can do it alone? Won't you fall or something?"

"I'm quite sure."

So Lily was alone, ten feet high into the air and thinking on a broomstick. For once in her life something stumped her. She was confused and had no idea what to do.

She hated James. James was a big-headed, fat-faced braggart.

James taught her how to have fun. James was not intimidated by her. James was different. He cared about her. James didn't let her fall.

James Potter and his confounded troublemaking skills. Period.

But thatdidn't matter now. Lily found herself, in her own utter disbelief, running through the field, the broomstick far behind her, the direction towards the Great Hall. Nothing else mattered now. Lily decided that, didn't care what people would think. She didn't care about Great Aunt Doris' map. She knew what she wanted and there was no time to spare.

* * *

"Now, Mr. Filch, you say that these students were the ones you saw on that night—"

The Great Hall grew silent when Lily entered. The Marauders, including James, and all the people from the night of the stink bombs were seated in front of everyone. There was an empty seat beside Sirius. Professor Dumbledore and Filch, along with all the other teachers, were standing beside them. And everyone else, Gryffindor or Slytherin, had his eyes pointed to her.

Lily understood what was happening immediately. "Professor," she declared, walking up to him. "Professor Dumbledore, I was there that night. I was an—an accomplice. I'm the eleventh culprit."

"Well," said Professor Dumbledore. "Mr. Filch, is this true?"

Filch said yes, it was true.

"Then Ms. Evans, please take a seat beside Mr. Black."

But Lily would not sit. "Professor Dumbledore, may I say something?"

Dumbledore said of course. But be quick about it.

Lily gazed at James as the whole of Hogwarts gazed at her. "James," she said, gulping, "I'm sorry for all the things I said to you. And thanks for teaching me how to ride a broomstick. Will you go with me to the dance?"

Then, before Lily had time to react, James had walked up to her, smiled, and kissed her. The students of Hogwarts, who all witnessed this moment, cheered and wolf-whistled. Professor Dumbledore clapped. But Lily couldn't care less. She didn't care if they would tease her. She didn't mind if they thought her a freak. Now she knew that being with James was what she truly wanted, all along.

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat when James and Lily let go. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Evans, thank you for that kind overture. Please go back to your seats. As I was saying, these students have committed…"

Sirius smirked as Lily sat beside him. "Well?" he said mischievously.

Lily smirked as well. She took out Great Aunt Doris' map from her pocket and handed it to him. "It's all yours."

* * *

In the end, James and Lily didn't go together to the dance after all. Together, they were scrubbing toilets, sinks and ceramics in the lavatories. But Lily was perfectly happy, and she knew that James was, too.

That night, slow music could be heard drifting from the Great Hall. It was well past midnight and the dance was coming to a close. Lily and James had just finished scrubbing the entire Gryffindor Girls' Lavatories. Both were soaking-wet and exhausted.

"Hey," Lily said, getting up. "Do you want to dance? The music is dying down."

"Ha ha," James said. He was lying down on the sinks. "If there's one thing James Potter doesn't do, it's to dance."

"No way," Lily said. "You? Not dancing? Come on, James." She yanked and yanked his arm until he finally got up.

"You're in for it, Lily," he said.

Lily ignored this. "Now, place one hand on my waist, and hold my hand. Yes, that's it."

"This is so awkward," James said.

"Nonsense," Lily said quietly, leading him on.

James was a quick learner. Before long they were swaying in the bathroom, supporting each other so that neither would slip on the wet floor. The moon was gibbous and its rays penetrated through the windows, reflecting on the walls and on the floors. It really was quite romantic, in Lily's opinion.

Then James let go. His eyes had a very pained expression as he shook his head and sat himself on the sinks once again. "I'm sorry, Lily, I'm sorry."

"Why?" Lily approached him. "What's wrong?"

James shook his head. "You should go back to hating me again. You don't deserve me. I'll make you unhappy."

"James, don't say that—"

"But it's true," James said. "I love you now, but before I didn't. You were only pretty and—and Sirius. He said I couldn't make you fall in love with me and I said otherwise. I'm so sorry, and you should know, Lily, that I would never do that to you now. I'm sorry. The thing is Lily, the thing is—is that Sirius owes me. I've won the bet."

* * *

Well, that's it! I hope you found the story enjoyable. As this is my first fanfiction, I'd really like to know what you think. Reviews will be greatly appreciated!


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